Beautiful Day. So I kept on running...

What started out as an 18 mile training day turned into a 20 Miler Training. 

The temperature was in the 20's-30's and sunny. 

Beautiful day! So I kept running.

When I was out walking the dogs in the morning on Prior Lake, 

I noticed someone running on the lake. 

So I decided to finish my last miles of my long run on the lake. 

What an extra workout after running 17.5 miles on chunky sidewalks and slippery paths. 

So I sat on the beach and took in a few rays of sunshine. 

Very relaxing!

Found one of my former Hidden Valley students enjoying a run at Sunset Pond. Stopped and took our picture!
Her cheery smile every lap around the pond made the long run so enjoyable.
I looked forward to all 6 laps.
We cheered each other on and slapped hands every time we passed by.

When I got home, my daughters dog, Reagan, gave me a big smooch!

She likes licking the salt off my face.

The countdown continues.

I can hardly wait! 

One more long run to go. 

I usually try to get in 22 miles before any marathon race. 

Hope the weather cooperates.

I've been lucky to catch some warmer weekends.

The Clock is Ticking

Starting to countdown. 

Can't believe that it's just around the corner. 

Looking forward to an adventure at the bottom of the Earth with my big sis, Rose.

Live from Antarctica with Time for Kids!

We enjoyed a live broadcast from Antarctica with Jean Pennycook, National Science Foundation penguin researcher. One of my fourth grade classes wrote questions about things that they wanted to know about life in Antarctica. We learned alot!
To register for the webinar, I had to enter a question that my students wanted to know.
One of my 1st grade classes asked if plants grow on Antarctica. She went into great detail and answered, that there is no plant life that grows on Antarctica. Animals rely on the water for food.
Without plants there are no insects. My first reaction: No mosquitoes!

Scientist Jean Pennycook

At different times throughout the broadcast 2,000 schools were logged in. 

Notice Hidden Valley's name.

Baby penguin shedding it's last bit of baby fur.

Scientist Jean Pennycook camps in a tent for days and observes the Adelie Penguin behavior.



To watch a free, live webcast from the icy continent, ask your teacher to join the TFK community at edweb.net/tfk. Then tune in at 1 p.m. ET as National Science Foundation penguin researcher Jean Pennycook chats about her work. Learn about Antarctica attimeforkids.com/antarcticatfk. 

Penguin Awareness Day

January 20, 2015

Can't wait to meet these cute birds.

Penguins of Antarctica:

1. Chinstrap Penguin

2. Adelie Penguin

3. Emperor Penguin

4. Gentoo Penguin

5. Macaroni Penguin

Got Frost?

Feeling pretty frozen during my morning runs these days.

So, I went to the "Frozen Disney" website to find out which character I'm most like.

Here's what I found out. It brightened a cold, frozen day! And so true!

Check out where you fit in.

There's also games and activities for kids to play.

We're suppose to get a thaw of warmer temperatures in the next few days. Yay!

http://frozen.disney.com/

You're Olaf!

You’re fun-loving, adorable, and love pretty much everyone. Summer is your favorite time of year, and you go through life with a song in your heart and a smile on your face.

Winter Waddler Games

With frigid temperatures and wind chills this past week the classrooms weren't able to go outside and play in the snow. So we found a way to play inside.
I will be leaving for Antarctic soon, so I'm trying to recreate and simulate what life will be like in Antarctica! Here are some of the things we did this week:

We had fun playing games and building parts of a penguin.

The egg of an Emperor Penguin are carried on the top of 

their feet and under their abdominal brood patch

 We tried to simulate this behavior and learned what it's like to carry a penguin egg.

Oops, it's slipping out!

 Made it back to the rookery, safe and sound!

Waddling through Winter like a Penguin was so much fun!

Cool Runnings!

Another chilly morning. 

It was soooo cold... my nose was running the entire 5 miles. 

Great way to keep those sinuses clean and cleared out.

Temps below zero and wind chills in the -20's.

Very refreshing!

Found my friend, Rudolph, to light the way home.

Live From Antarctica!

Live Webinar from Antarctica


Help! 
What's a question you or your students would want to know about Antarctica? 
Attach in an email below. 
Thanks!

Jean Pennycook, National Science Foundation penguin researcher Jean Pennycook has been a science teacher for more than 25 years in an urban school district in Fresno, California. She encourages her students to pursue careers in the STEM fields. Jean's enthusiasm for the teaching is reflected in her many awards and accomplishments as an educator including: NASA teacher grants, Sierra Club Environmental Educator of the Year, NSF Teachers Experiencing Antarctica grant, and district, state and national level committees and boards. Over the past 9 years Jean has provided the excitement of discovery through an interactive website creating a virtual field trip to Antarctica and the Adélie penguin breeding colony on Ross Island. During the penguin breeding season from November to January, the penguin research team lives in a tent at Cape Royds and connects the experience to students around the world.  Many thanks to our sponsor Free Webinar LIVE from Antarctica Special: Antarctica Report! Presented by National Science Foundation penguin researcher Jean Pennycook, with Melanie Kletter, Senior Editor, TIME For Kids, and Laura Blackburn, Associate Editor, TIME For Kids Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time REGISTER HERE Back by popular demand-TIME For Kids travels to Antarctica! In this special webinar, science teacher and National Science Foundation penguin researcher Jean Pennycook will broadcast live from the icy continent where she'll report on her research and experience in the field. She will also answer questions from students and teachers during her presentation. Educators can submit questions from their class when they register. TFK editors will provide participants with background information on Antarctica to support learning about the continent. The TFK supplement Around the World: Antarctica will be available in Jan. 2015. A TFK mini-site packed with information and resources about Antarctica - including maps, time lines, and historic photos of polar exploration - is available on our website. During the presentation, we will also provide printable worksheets and graphic organizers to support learning about the continent. Educators can submit a question from their class when they register. We hope you and your students will join us for this special event!

Just Chillin' at home with school canceled today! In a deep freeze!

Time for Kids: Antarctica

The Not-So-Simple Life

Enjoying the day off of school. Dangerous temperatures and wind chills in the -30's. Here's something for the kids to research. Check out this website to learn what life is like in Antarctica!


Everything from food to fuel must be brought to Antarctica

JANUARY 22, 2014

By David Bjerklie

Print 

CURTIS HARRY—NSF

A cargo ship sits at McMurdo Station, with an icebreaker in the distance.

In Antarctica, you learn not to take anything for granted.  Not even things as basic as food, water, or energy. The reason? Everything people depend on has to be shipped or flown into the continent. Why? There are no farms in on the icy continent. The only plants are mosses and lichens. There are certainly no cows, pigs, or chickens. Whether your favorite food is pizza or burritos, all of the ingredients have to come from other continents. As for drinking water, special systems and a great deal of energy are needed to take to salt out of seawater to make it useable.

How to survive Antarctica!

Blazing my own 5 mile trail. 

Frosty temperatures caused my eyelashes to freeze. 

Morning temps were -10 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chills at -22 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Had to avoid a few snow plows.

Follow the Leader?

Who's leading who? 

I like to be the first footprints after a snowfall. 

Found a rabbit looking for a quick bite.

Training in NH & VT with my Best Gal Pal: Daughter Britney

Training 8.5 miles over the Connecticut River and through the peaks and valleys of Vermont and New Hampshire 

with my best gal pal and sole sister; daughter, Britney.

Found a great training ground in Quechee Gorge, VT 

to tackle the glaciers of Antarctica.

2015 Outdo Me List: Make Dreams Come True

Dream List for 2015 Commitments

Can't believe it's all in one year, but I'm gonna make it happen.

I always thought that if you dream it, then it may come true.

I've learned that you have to do whatever it takes to make dreams come true!

Order of events for me in 2015

1. March: Antarctica Marathon

2. April:  Qualified for Boston Marathon

3. June-August: Lifetime Tri Series

4. August: Ironman Boulder, CO

5. October:  World Championship Ironman Kona, HI